“- If you only knew how pretty you are!... Pretend you are playing! - stop it.. DO - You don't love me!...SO - I'll' always be yours. ... MI,” plate 6 from Les Musiciens De Paris 1841

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, part of his "Les Musiciens de Paris" series, offers a satirical glimpse into Parisian social dynamics. Made in 19th-century France, the print critiques the superficiality of romantic relationships within the bourgeoisie, laid bare through music. Daumier uses the setting of a music lesson to expose the power dynamics between a young woman, her suitor, and perhaps a disapproving chaperone. The exaggerated expressions and body language reveal a strained interaction. Is it genuine affection or social obligation? Daumier cleverly employs the musical context, with the phrases "DO," "SO," and "MI" from the musical scale, to underscore the forced, artificial nature of their interactions. Daumier’s work often appeared in satirical publications like "Le Charivari," targeting the foibles of the middle class. To fully grasp the print's critique, one might explore the conventions of courtship and the role of women in 19th-century Parisian society through periodicals and social commentaries of the time. Only then do we get a full grasp of the social critique embedded in his art.